11 Complicated Facts About ‘Shaft’ | Mental Floss 11 Complicated Facts About ‘Shaft’ YouTube Like us on Facebook On July 2, 1971, moviegoers caught their first glimpse of John Shaft, the “black private dick that’s a sex machine to all the chicks.” Today, Shaft is considered one of the grandfathers of the blaxploitation genre—and it’s got one of the most recognizable soundtracks of all time. In honor of the movie’s 45th anniversary, here are a few interesting facts about its creation and release. If you picked up on why Shaft and his associates call everyone “mother,” you’re smarter than at least one unfortunate reporter. 1. A WHITE NEWSPAPER REPORTER CREATED SHAFT. John Shaft made his debut in Shaft, a novel by Ernest Tidyman. Tidyman was a reporter for The Cleveland News, The New York Post, and The New York Times before he began writing the Shaft series, which included seven detective stories. Along with John D.F. Black, he adapted his first Shaft book into the screenplay for the first film.

He would later go on to write the screenplays for The French Connection (1971) and High Plains Drifter (1973) as well as Shaft’s Big Score! (1972) and the Shaft TV series (1973-1974). His work earned him an NAACP Image Award . 2. THE STUDIO WANTED TO SHOOT IN LOS ANGELES. Shaft was filmed entirely in New York City, which is clearly illustrated by the shots of Times Square and Greenwich Village. But it nearly wasn’t. In his autobiography, Voices in the Mirror, director Gordon Parks recalled how he received word from MGM mere hours before he was set to commence filming that he was to return to Los Angeles and shoot the movie there. Apparently it was a budgetary issue, but Parks wasn’t having it. He flew back to the West Coast and essentially told the studio heads he would quit if he couldn’t shoot in Manhattan. “It has to have the smell of New York,” Parks insisted. The director won out, and his nightmare of a Harlem in Hollywood was never realized. 3. SHAFT’S MUSTACHE WAS NON-NEGOTIABLE.

The Los Angeles fiasco was behind him, but Parks immediately faced another scare when he spied his star, Richard Roundtree, heading to the bathroom with a towel and razor. Producer Joel Freeman had asked him to get rid of his soon-to-be legendary mustache. Parks told Roundtree emphatically, “Shave it off and you’re out of a job.” And with that, the ‘stache stayed in the picture. 4. THE DIRECTOR PUT HIS MAGAZINE IN THE MOVIE. In the movie’s opening sequence, Shaft stops to talk to a blind newsstand vendor. The magazine Essence is prominently displayed—and that’s no accident; Parks helped found the publication and served as its editorial director for its first three years in print. 5. BUMPY JONAS WAS BASED ON A REAL MOBSTER. Shaft spends most of the movie tracking down a kidnapped girl. She’s the daughter of Harlem crime kingpin Bumpy Jonas, and Bumpy was not a Hollywood invention. He’s based on Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson, who ruled the Harlem crime scene from the 1930s through the 1960s.

He had ties to the infamous murder of Dutch Schultz and mentored Frank Lucas, the notorious heroin dealer Denzel Washington played in American Gangster. Fictionalized versions of Johnson have also appeared in movies like The Cotton Club and Hoodlum. 6. GORDON PARKS HAD A CAMEO. Parks appears briefly in the montage of Shaft searching for Ben Buford. He’s the landlord with the pipe, who complains that he’s also looking for Buford, who owes him six months of rent. 7. MUHAMMAD ALI’S TRAINER HAD A BIT ROLE. Drew Bundini Brown was a well-known member of Muhammad Ali’s entourage. He worked as an assistant trainer, and was famous for the “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee” bit he performed with Ali for the cameras. But when he wasn’t in Ali’s corner, Brown was busy racking up movie credits. His first was Shaft, where he played one of Bumpy Jonas’ men. 8. “SKLOOT INSURANCE” WAS A NOD TO A CREW MEMBER. Shaft’s office is sandwiched in between Acme Imports Exports Inc. and Skloot Insurance.

The latter is a reference to Steven P. Skloot, the movie’s unit production manager. 9. PARKS HAD TO EXPLAIN WHAT “SHAFT” AND “MOTHER” MEANT TO A REPORTER. When Parks flew to London to do publicity for the film, he ended up giving an impromptu vocabulary lesson. At a press screening, a confused British reporter asked the director what “shaft” really meant. Parks replied by smiling and sticking his middle finger up in the air, explaining that was “the most honest answer” he could give. But the reporter was persistent and followed up by asking why the characters called each other “mother.” Parks really didn’t know how to answer that one, but luckily, a woman in the audience swooped in. “You’ve heard of Smucker’s jam, young man,” she said. “Just snip out the first two letters and add an ‘f’ and you’ll get the message.” 10. ISAAC HAYES WAS THE FIRST BLACK COMPOSER TO WIN AN OSCAR. Isaac Hayes’ ubiquitous “Theme from Shaft” earned him a 1972 Academy Award for Best Original Song. This win was historic for many reasons.

For one, Hayes was the first black composer to score an Oscar. But he was also only the third African American to win an Oscar, period. Prior to 1973, the only other black Academy Award winners were Hattie McDaniel (Best Supporting Actress for Gone with the Wind) and Sidney Poitier (Best Actor for Lilies of the Field). 11. THERE’S A SHAFT COMIC BOOK SERIES. There hasn’t been a new Shaft movie since the 2000 reboot starring Samuel L. Jackson, but Dynamite Entertainment began printing a Shaft comic book series in 2014. The comics are penned by David F. Walker , who also published the first Shaft novel in over 40 years this February. The latest comic series finds Shaft as a part-time consultant on a blaxploitation movie; Walker intended this meta subplot to be a commentary on “clueless producers who think they have their finger on the pulse of blackness.” And yes, that was an intended slam on the upcoming remake . Artist Profile - Isaac Hayes - Bio Graham Central Station Isaac Lee Hayes, Jr.

(August 20, 1942 – August 10, 2008) was an American songwriter, musician, singer, and occasionally an actor. Hayes was one of the creative influences behind the southern soul music label Stax Records, where he served both as an in-house songwriter and as a record producer, teaming with his partner David Porter during the mid-1960s. Hayes, Porter, Bill Withers, the Sherman Brothers, Steve Cropper, and John Fogerty were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005 in recognition of writing scores of notable songs for themselves, the duo "Sam & Dave", Carla Thomas, and others. The hit song "Soul Man" written by Hayes and Porter, and first performed by "Sam & Dave" has been recognized as one of the most influential songs of the past 50 years by the Grammy Hall of Fame. This song was also honored by The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, by Rolling Stone magazine, and by the RIAA as the Songs of the Century.

During the late 1960s, Hayes also became a recording musician, and he recorded several successful soul albums such as Hot Buttered Soul (1969) and Black Moses (1971). In addition to his work in popular music, Hayes worked as composer of musical scores for motion pictures. Hayes is well known for his musical score for the film Shaft (1971). For his composition of the "Theme from Shaft", Hayes was awarded the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1972. Other than such distinguished actors as Sidney Poitier and Hattie McDaniel, Hayes became the first African-American to win an Academy Award in any field whatsoever covered by Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Hayes also won two Grammy Awards for that same year. Later, he was given his third Grammy Award for his music album Black Moses. During 1992, in recognition of his humanitarian work there, Hayes was crowned as the honorary king of the Ada, Ghana region. Hayes also acted in motion pictures and television, such as in the movie, I'm Gonna Git You Sucka.

Then from 1997 to 2005, he lent his distinctive, deep voice to the character "Chef" on the animated TV series South Park, and also to Gandolf "Gandy" Fitch in the TV series The Rockford Files (1974 – 80). On August 5, 2003, Isaac Hayes was honored as a BMI Icon at the 203 BMI Urban Awards for his enduring influence on generations of music makers. Throughout his songwriting career, Hayes received five BMI R&B Awards, two BMI Pop Awards, two BMI Urban Awards and six Million-Air citations. As of 2008, his songs generated more than 12 million performances. Isaac Hayes - Biography - IMDb Isaac Hayes Biography Showing all 45 items Jump to: Overview (5) | Mini Bio (1) | Spouse (3) | Trade Mark (1) | Trivia (16) | Personal Quotes (19) Overview (5) 5' 11½" (1.82 m) Mini Bio (1) Isaac Hayes was the second-born child of Isaac Sr. and Eula Hayes, but was raised by his grandparents, Mr.

and Mrs. Willie Wade Sr. The child of a poor family, he grew up picking cotton in Covington, Tennessee. He dropped out of high school, only to be encouraged later by his former high school teachers to get his diploma. He earned his diploma at the age of 21. Otis Redding , Johnnie Taylor , The Bar-Kays and Booker T. Jones (later of Booker T. & the M.G.s fame) were some of the "Memphis Sound" musical luminaries Hayes worked with during his early years as a budding musician and vocalist. He is a multi-talented composer, singer and arranger who plays the piano, vibraphone and saxophone equally well. In 1971 he won an Academy Award for Best Original Song for a Motion Picture for the "Theme from Shaft" (1970) and was nominated for Best Original Dramatic Score for Shaft (1971). - IMDb Mini Biography By: L. J.

Allen-2 Spouse (3) (May 2005 - 10 August 2008) (his death) (1 child) Mignon Harley ( 18 April 1973 - 1986) (divorced) (2 children) Emily Ruth Watson ( 25 November 1966 - 1971) (divorced) (3 children) Trade Mark (1) Trivia (16) Has been a frequent songwriting collaborator with David Porter since 1962. His performance as "Chef" in the TV series South Park (1997) was supposed to be a one-time event, but audience reaction was so positive, "Chef" became a regular character. Filed for bankruptcy in 1976. First African American composer to win an Oscar for Best Original Song (1972) for The Theme from Shaft (1971). Was originally considered for the role of Shaft (1971); however, the lead went to Richard Roundtree . However, he got the lead role in Truck Turner (1974), which is the only film that he ever played such a part.

Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002. Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame on June 9, 2005 in New York City alongside Robert B. Sherman , Richard M. Sherman , Bill Withers , John Fogerty , Steve Cropper and longtime collaborator David Porter . Is named among others as inspiration for the Massive Attack album "Blue Lines". His character, "Chef", was killed off South Park (1997) after his resignation for religious reasons. Was pronounced dead at 2:08 pm at Baptist Memorial Medical Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee on August 10, 2008. Father of Heather Hayes , Isaac Hayes III , and Veronica Hayes . Son (b. Nana Kwadjo April 10, 2006). Starred alongside Bernie Mac in Soul Men (2008). It was to be their last film as they sadly passed away within a day of each other, Bernie on the 9th August 2008 and Isaac on the 10th August 2008.

Personal Quotes (19) "There is a place in this world for satire, but there is a time when satire ends and intolerance and bigotry towards religious beliefs of others begins. Religious beliefs are sacred to people, and at all times should be respected and honored. As a civil rights activist of the past 40 years, I cannot support a show that disrespects those beliefs and practices." - On why he quit South Park (1997) in 2006. Elvis was a giant and influenced everyone in the business. Just, you know, you can't put bread in a cold oven. You know, you've got to take your time. You've got to heat it up. So that's what, that's what I like to do with my music. I like to build it, and build it into a maddening, exciting crescendo. Know the business, learn the business, own something. If you enjoy the fragrance of a rose, you must accept the thorns which it bears. There is a place in this world for satire, but there is a time when satire ends and intolerance and bigotry towards religious beliefs of others begins. There's always hurdles.

So I just keep moving, just constantly redefining myself. That's how you stay in the race. Religious beliefs are sacred to people, and at all times should be respected and honored. I think the kids today need to hear more about morals and values. I love music. A certain administration which I won't call by name took the arts out of the schools, and that left the brothers out on the street with nothing, so they went to the turntables and started rhyming. Then they had a way to express themselves, and that's the birth of hip-hop. The rappers have gone in and created a lot of hit music based upon my influence. And they'll tell you if you ask. I influence people, hopefully on the positive side. Have you ever wondered why young people take to music like fish to water? Maybe it's because music is fun. Plan and simple. It opens up their minds to dream great dreams about where they can go and what they can do when they get older. Guys in slavery sang praises to the Lord to deliver them from bondage. I was a pop freak. I first heard African drum rhythms and chants at the movies.

Then, when I had the opportunity to go to Africa and visit the villages, I heard the real, raw, true rhythms and realized the origins of the old Negro spirituals I grew up with in the South. I'd always loved strings. When I was in high school and saw strings playing on stage, an orchestra or a symphony, all those bows moving at the same time... wow. I used to stand in front of the mic and cry. See also 1971 Academy Awards® Winners and History Nicholas and Alexandra (1971) Actor: GENE HACKMAN in "The French Connection" , Peter Finch in "Sunday, Bloody Sunday", Walter Matthau in "Kotch", George C. Scott in "The Hospital", Topol in "Fiddler on the Roof" Actress: JANE FONDA in "Klute", Julie Christie in "McCabe & Mrs.

Miller", Glenda Jackson in "Sunday, Bloody Sunday", Vanessa Redgrave in "Mary, Queen of Scots", Janet Suzman in "Nicholas and Alexandra" Supporting Actor: BEN JOHNSON in "The Last Picture Show" , Jeff Bridges in "The Last Picture Show" , Leonard Frey in "Fiddler on the Roof", Richard Jaeckel in "Sometimes a Great Notion", Roy Scheider in "The French Connection" Supporting Actress: CLORIS LEACHMAN in "The Last Picture Show" , Ann-Margret in "Carnal Knowledge", Ellen Burstyn in "The Last Picture Show" , Barbara Harris in "Who is Harry Kellerman, and Why is He Saying These Terrible Things About Me?", Margaret Leighton in "The Go-Between" Director: WILLIAM FRIEDKIN for "The French Connection" , Peter Bogdanovich for "The Last Picture Show" , Norman Jewison for "Fiddler on the Roof", Stanley Kubrick for "A Clockwork Orange" , John Schlesinger for "Sunday, Bloody Sunday" 'Old' and 'New' Hollywood clashed with two biggest rivals in the Best Picture competition: director Norman Jewison's Fiddler on the Roof

 (with eight nominations and three wins - Best Cinematography (Oswald Morris), Best Sound, and Best Scoring (this was the first of numerous Oscar wins for film composer John Williams) - the lavish film adaptation of the long-running, hit Broadway musical was based on the Yiddish stories of Tevye the Dairyman, written by Sholem Aleichem the other was the year's innovative Best Picture victor - The French Connection (with eight nominations and five wins), a semi-documentary film and exciting cops and drug dealers action thriller, based on two real-life New York narcotics squad officers (detectives Eddie 'Popeye' Egan and Sonny Grosso, portrayed by Hackman and Scheider), who seized a 120 lb., multi-million dollar shipment of smuggled heroin (from Marseilles to NYC) in 1961 in a transported car.

The winning film had more wins than any other picture of the year: Best Picture, Best Director (young 32 year old William Friedkin), Best Actor, Best Screenplay Adaptation (Ernest Tidyman), and Best Editing (Jerry Greenberg) for the memorable, nerve-wracking, edge-of-your-seat auto chase pursuit sequence through New York's busy city streets). Following In the Heat of the Night (1967) , it was only the second Best Picture in Academy history to showcase a police officer as its central character. And it was the first R-rated film to win Best Picture since the institution of the MPAA rating system.

The other three Best Picture nominees also displayed the rift between traditional and edgy pictures were: Stanley Kubrick's stylized, provocatively-brilliant but ultra-violent black comedy A Clockwork Orange (with four nominations and no wins) set in Britain's near future - the originally X-rated adaptation of Anthony Burgess' controversial novel [the only other X-rated Best Picture nominee was Midnight Cowboy (1969) ] the overlong costume drama of the lives of the last Czar of Russia Nicholas and his wife and family in Nicholas and Alexandra (with six nominations and two wins - Best Art Direction/Set Decoration and Best Costume Design) - its director Franklin J.

Schaffner was NOT nominated as Best Director emerging director Peter Bogdanovich's The Last Picture Show (with eight nominations and two wins - Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress), the excellent black and white film adaptation of Larry McMurtry's coming of age novel about the loss of innocence and a boy's rites of passage in a small, 1950s Texas town that is about to close its cinema The Best Director award was presented to William Friedkin (with his first nomination and win) for his first major feature The French Connection - a tough, suspenseful crime film that preceded the similar cop film Dirty Harry by a few months. Although his film was not nominated for Best Picture, British director John Schlesinger was nominated as Best Director for his dramatic, sexually-oriented adult drama Sunday, Bloody Sunday (with four nominations and no wins) about an unusual menage a trois between a homosexual, a heterosexual woman, and a bi-sexual artist (the object of the other two's desire). And Peter Bogdanovich was nominated for his deft direction of the episodic story The Last Picture Show (his second feature) - it was probably his finest directorial effort throughout his entire career.

Norman Jewison was nominated for his effort in bringing the musical Fiddler on the Roof from Broadway to the screen, and master filmmaker Stanley Kubrick's graphic, sci-fi cult film A Clockwork Orange was dazzlingly unsettling - but unforgettable. Gene Hackman (with his third career nomination) won the coveted Best Actor award (his first Oscar) for his star-making role as obsessed, foul-mouthed, violent, short-tempered, bigoted, hard-nosed, dedicated, and world-weary undercover narcotics cop Jimmy Doyle (alias 'Popeye'). [Hackman had been twice-nominated in the past as Best Supporting Actor (for Bonnie And Clyde (1967) and the previous year for I Never Sang For My Father (1970)).] Other Best Actor nominees included: Brit-born Peter Finch (with the first of two career nominations - he won Best Actor for Network (1976) ) as Dr. Daniel Hirsh - a middle-aged, homosexual doctor involved in a three-sided love story in the British film Sunday, Bloody Sunday George C. Scott (with his fourth career nomination) as Dr.

Herbert Bock - an embittered chief surgeon in a New York medical center in the black comedy and expose The Hospital (with two nominations and one win - Best Screenplay) with Paddy Chayefsky's Oscar-winning screenplay Topol (with his sole career nomination) as Teyve - the proud Jewish father and zesty, likeable milkman who clings to the old ways in Fiddler on the Roof Walter Matthau (with his second of three career nominations - he previously won Best Supporting Actor for The Fortune Cookie (1966)) as Joseph P. Kotcher - a feisty senior citizen in Kotch (with four nominations and no wins) - Jack Lemmon's sole directorial effort and debut film. Anti-Vietnam War activist Jane Fonda (with her second career nomination and first Oscar win) won the Best Actress award for her performance not as Klute (that was the name of the private detective played by Donald Sutherland who hunts down a deviant killer) but as Bree Daniels, a classy, highly-paid, cynical, sexually-disturbed and threatened call-girl stalking victim in Alan Pakula's stylized 70s film noir Klute.

Jane Fonda was the first of the famous Fonda movie family to win an Oscar! Fonda, the only American actress in the race, defeated fellow nominees, all foreign-born competitors, including: Julie Christie (with her second career nomination following her Best Actress win for Darling (1965)) as Mrs. Constance Miller - an opium-smoking brothel madam and chief prostitute in McCabe & Mrs. Miller (the film's sole nomination) - Robert Altman's bleak, deglamourized western set at the turn-of-the-century Northwest Glenda Jackson (with her second consecutive nomination after a win in the previous year) as Alex Greville - a heterosexual divorced woman involved in a complicated set of relationships in Sunday, Bloody Sunday Vanessa Redgrave (with her third of six career nominations) in the title role as the headstrong Catholic queen in director Charles Jarrott's Mary, Queen of Scots (with five nominations and no wins) Janet Suzman (with her sole career nomination) as the Russian Czar's wife - Empress Alexandra in director Franklin J.

Schaffner's Nicholas and Alexandra (with six nominations and two wins - Best Art Direction/Set Decoration and Best Costume Design) There were a total of four nominees (two were victors) in the supporting acting categories from Bogdanovich's film The Last Picture Show : Ben Johnson (with his sole career nomination and sole Oscar win) who was a former rodeo star and veteran Western actor from director/mentor John Ford's stock company, won the Best Supporting Actor award as ex-cowboy Sam the Lion, the philosophical owner of the decrepit movie theater/cafe/pool hall in the bleak, declining 50s northwestern (fictional) Texas town of Anarene Cloris Leachman (with her sole career nomination and sole Oscar win) won the Best Supporting Actress award as Ruth Popper - the lonely and neglected, sexually-deprived, aging wife of the football-basketball coach who beds high school senior Sonny (Timothy Bottoms) Jeff Bridges (with his first career nomination) as Sonny's friend Duane Jackson Ellen Burstyn (with her first of six career nominations - her only supporting nomination) as Lois Farrow, the mother of Duane's spoiled and rich girlfriend Jacy (Cybill Shepherd) The other nominees in

 the Supporting Actor category included: Roy Scheider (with his first of two unsuccessful career nominations) as Buddy Russo - Hackman's New York detective partner in The French Connection Leonard Frey (with his sole nomination) as Motel the tailor who is seeking a wife in Fiddler on the Roof Richard Jaeckel (with his sole nomination) as Joe Ben Stamper (Paul Newman's brother) who is pinned in the water by a fallen tree in director/star Paul Newman's film of Ken Kesey's novel, Sometimes a Great Notion (with two nominations and no wins) The remaining nominees in the Supporting Actress category included: Margaret Leighton (with her sole nomination) as Mrs.

Maudsley (Julie Christie's mother) who disapproves of the surreptitious tryst in Joseph Losey's The Go-Between (the film's sole nomination) one-time sex symbol Ann-Margret (with her first of two unsuccessful career nominations) in a serious actress role as sexy, vulnerable, contemptible mistress Bobbie (Jack Nicholson's companion) in Mike Nichols' Carnal Knowledge (the film's sole nomination) Barbara Harris (with her sole nomination) as Allison - an aspiring singer (co-star Dustin Hoffman's girlfriend) in Who is Harry Kellerman, and Why Is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me? [The film has the remarkable distinction of having the longest title of any nominated film in Academy history.] Best Song award winner Isaac Hayes, for Shaft, was the first African-American to win in that category. 82 year-old legend Charles Chaplin, with his trademark hat and cane, received an Honorary Oscar, after an over 20-year, self-imposed exile in Europe (Switzerland). It was awarded for "the incalculable effect he has had in making motion pictures the art form of this century." He received a record 12-minute long standing ovation.

In his entire career, he had only received six Academy Award nominations: Best Actor and Best Director (Comedy) for The Circus (1927/8), Best Actor and Best Original Screenplay for The Great Dictator (1940), Best Original Screenplay for Monsieur Verdoux (1947), and his only win, Best Score for Limelight (1972). His best films in the sound era were neglected: Modern Times (1936) . Oscar Snubs and Omissions: Other equally-impressive films not nominated for Best Picture included director John Schlesinger's Sunday, Bloody Sunday, director Alan J. Pakula's crime thriller Klute, and director Robert Altman's McCabe & Mrs. Miller with Warren Beatty and Julie Christie as John McCabe and Constance Miller respectively. At least three films were completely devoid of nominations: director Don Siegel's Dirty Harry with Clint Eastwood as the definitive vigilante cop Harry Callahan, Roman Polanski's Macbeth, and Nicolas Roeg's provocative drama Walkabout with Jenny Agutter as the coming-of-age 'Girl' in the Australian outback.

In her own self-directed tale, A New Leaf, about a near-sighted heiress pursued by a gold-digging Walter Matthau, Elaine May was denied an acting nomination. Malcolm McDowell, the brilliant main character, juvenile delinquent, Beethoven-loving, aversion-therapy patient Alex in Kubrick's ultra-violent A Clockwork Orange was not nominated, nor was Jack Nicholson for his role as misogynistic Jonathan in director Mike Nichols' Carnal Knowledge (with only one unsuccessful nomination), nor was Jessica Walter as psychopathic fan Evelyn Draper in director/actor Clint Eastwood's Play Misty For Me (without any nominations), nor was Ruth Gordon as free-spirited, eccentric, death-obsessed 79 year-old Maude in director Hal Ashby's Harold and Maude. Cybill Shepherd was denied a nominated as the flirtatious Jacy in The Last Picture Show , as was Susan George as Dustin Hoffman's conflicted wife in Straw Dogs. Saturday Hustle - March 3 - Lifestyle - JamaicaObserver.com With the 84th Academy Awards behind us, the Saturday Hustle team sought to highlight our favourite songs that have won the prestigious award for Best Original Song for a Motion Picture.

Shaft - Theme from Shaft Music & Lyrics: Isaac Hayes 44th Academy Awards, 1971 Isaac Hayes not only became the first African-American to win that honour (or any Academy Award in a non-acting category) but also the first recipient of the award to both write and perform the winning song. Since then, the song has appeared in numerous television shows, commercials, and other movies, including the 2000 remake of Shaft, for which Hayes re-recorded the song without making any changes to it. The Woman in Red - I Just Called to Say I Love You Music & Lyrics: Stevie Wonder 57th Academy Awards, 1984 I Just Called to Say I Love You was written, produced, and performed by Stevie Wonder. It was one of Wonder's most commercially successful singles, scoring number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks and number one on the UK charts for six weeks. It also became his tenth number one on the R&B chart, and his fourth number one on the adult contemporary chart. In addition to the Academy Award, the song won a Golden Globe for Best Original Song.

White Nights - Say You, Say Me Music & Lyrics: Lionel Richie 58th Academy Awards, 1985 Written and recorded by Lionel Richie, this Oscar-winning song hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B singles charts, becoming Richie's ninth number one on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. The track is not available on the soundtrack album to the film, because Motown did not want Richie's single to appear on another record label. Top Gun - Take My Breath Away Music: Giorgio Moroder and Lyrics: Tom Whitlock 59th Academy Awards, 1986 Performed by Berlin, Take My Breath Away was the first single from the Top Gun soundtrack album and was released in 1986. The song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and in the UK for four weeks and also won a Golden globe for Best Original song. The track is available on both the original Top Gun soundtrack album and the expanded edition.

Dirty Dancing - (I've Had) The Time of My Life Music: Franke Previte, John DeNicola and Donald Markowitz; and Lyrics: Franke Previte 60th Academy Awards, 1987 (I've Had) The Time of My Life was recorded by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes after it was selected to be the finale song for the 1987 film. The single topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart and peaked at number six in the UK. The song also copped the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song in 1988. The Lion King - Can You Feel the Love Tonight Music: Elton John and Lyrics: Tim Rice 67th Academy Awards, 1994 A chart hit in the UK, peaking at number14 on the UK Singles Chart and in the US, peaking at number four on the Billboard Hot 100, Can You Feel the Love Tonight as Elton Jon described it, "was meant to follow Disney's tradition of great love songs and that it would express the lions' feelings for each other far better than dialogue could." The track also won the Golden Globe for Best Original Song.

Titanic - My Heart Will Go On Music: James Horner and Lyrics: Will Jennings 70th Academy Awards, 1997 My Heart Will Go On is the main theme song to the 1997 blockbuster film Titanic. It was recorded by Celine Dion and originally released in 1997 on the Titanic soundtrack album and Dion's album Let's Talk About Love. The song shot to number one all over the world and became Dion's biggest hit, and one of the best-selling singles of all time, as well as the world's best-selling single of 1998. My Heart Will Go On also copped the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song in 1998. The Prince of Egypt - When You Believe Music and lyrics: Stephen Schwartz 71st Academy Awards, 1998 Performed by Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston, When You Believe was described as a big ballad, with meaningful and inspirational lyrics, describing the ability each person has to achieve miracles when they reach out to God and believe. A version of the song was produced as a single with additional music by Babyface for the film's soundtrack album.

The track was also featured on Houston's fourth studio album, My Love Is Your Love and Carey's first compilation album, Number 1's. 8 Mile - Lose Yourself Music: Eminem, Jeff Bass and Luis Resto; and Lyrics: Eminem 75th Academy Awards, 2002 Released as the first single from the original soundtrack to the movie 8 Mile. The song was largely written during the filming of the movie, including several elements written entirely on set by Eminem. The song largely plays to the themes of the film, as it is largely based around and written from the viewpoint of the main character. Lose Yourself became the first rap song to win The Academy Award for Best Original Song. Hustle & Flow - It's Hard out Here for a Pimp Music and Lyrics: Frayser Boy, Juicy J and DJ Paul of Three 6 Mafia 78th Academy Awards, 2005 The song was performed in the film by stars Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson. Three 6 Mafia became the first hip hop group to win an Academy Award for Best Original Song, and the first hip hop artists to perform at the ceremony.

The Muppets - Man or Muppet Music and Lyrics: Bret McKenzie 84th Academy Awards, 2011 Performed by the film's main characters, Gary (Jason Segel) and Walter (Peter Linz), the song is a piece that reflects Gary and Walter questioning themselves on the subject of their true identities. Man or Muppet was the first Muppet song to win an Academy Award and the third Muppet song to be nominated for one. ADVERTISEMENT The Movies and Music of Hollywood Click here to view next panel Shaft is a 1971 American blaxploitation film directed by famed photographer, writer and musician Gordon Parks, and starring Richard Roundtree as John Shaft. Parks became Hollywood’s first major African American director after filming the 1969 adaptation of his autobiographical novel, The Learning Tree (1969), for which he wrote the screenplay and composed the musical score. His photographic feel for settings was evident throughout the film Shaft, and also directed the sequel, Shafts Big Score (1972), The Super Cops (1974) and Leadbelly (1976).

According to Melvin Van Peebles, the originally idea behind the "Shaft" production was a “white” detective story. With the success of Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song, the script was scrapped in favor of an adaption of Ernest Tidyman’s 1970 novel Shaft, that focused on a black detective. Tidyman, a white man, was an editor at The New York Times prior to becoming a novelist. Most notable about the movie is its soundtrack written and performed by songwriter, actor and producer Isaac Hayes. Hayes was one of the creative influences behind the southern soul music label Stax Records. Amongst his hits are soul albums, Hot Buttered Soul (1969) and Black Moses (1971). Isaac Hayes won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1972 for Theme from Shaft becoming the third African American after Sidney Poitier and Hattie McDaniel to win an Oscar. He also received a Grammy Award for Best Soundtrack Album from a Motion Picture, and a second Grammy shared with Johnny Allen for Best Instrumental Arrangement.

Shaft was one of only three profitable movies for MGM in 1971, grossing $13 million on a budget of only $500,000. Shaft was selected in 2000 for preservation in the United States Film Registry by the Library of Congress for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” Isaac Hayes | African-American Oscar Winners | XFINITY African-American Oscar Winners Send to Friend Isaac Hayes Isaac Hayes won an award for best original song which was the main theme song in the 1971 movie "Shaft." âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. More from this Slideshow From Irene Cara to Lionel Richie to Octavia Spencer, these talented stars deserved an Academy Award for their amazing work. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. Hattie McDaniel was the first black person to ever be nominated and win an Academy Award.

She won best actress in a supporting role in 1939 for the movie "Gone with the Wind." âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. Sidney Poitier won best actor in a leading role in 1963 for his film "Lilies of the Field." Poitier was the first and youngest black actor to win this prestigious award. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Archive Photos/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. Isaac Hayes won an award for best original song which was the main theme song in the 1971 movie "Shaft." âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. In 1982, Louis Gossett, Jr. became the first black actor to receive an award for best actor in a supporting role.

He won for his role in "An Officer and a Gentleman." âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Time and Life Pictures/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. Irene Cara's song "What a Feeling" was portrayed in the 1983 film "Flashdance." She ended up winning an award for best original song. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Ron Galella/WireImage via Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. Stevie Wonder won an award for his popular song "I Just Called to Say I Love You." The song was used in the 1984 movie "The Woman in Red." âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Michael Tullberg/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. Lionel Richie's amazing song "Say You, Say Me" was used in the 1985 film "White Nights" which led to him winning an Academy Award for best original song.

âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Scott Flynn/AFP/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. Willie D. Burton won two Academy Awards for best sound mixing. He received his first award in 1988 for the film "Bird." Burton won the award again in 2006 for "Dreamgirls." âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. Denzel Washingto... Denzel Washington won best supporting actor in the 1989 movie "Glory." Washington also won best actor in a leading role in 2001 for his film "Training Day." He's been nominated six times, which is the most nominations for a black actor. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Time Life Pictures/DMI/Time Life Pictures/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. Russel Williams won two consecutive Oscars for best sound mixing.

He received an award for the 1989 film "Glory" and then an award for the 1990 film "Dances with Wolves." âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Dr. Billy Ingram/WireImage via Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. In 1990, Whoopi Goldberg won best actress in a supporting role for her character in "Ghost." âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage via Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. Cuba Gooding, Jr.'s performance in "Jerry Maguire" led him to win an award for best supporting actor at the 69th Academy Awards back in 1996. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. In 2001, Halle Berry became the first black woman to win the best actress is a leading role award.

She won due to her amazing performance in "Monster's Ball." âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage via Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. Jamie Foxx In 2004, Jamie Foxx won best actor in a leading role for his outstanding performance in "Ray." He was also nominated for best actor in a supporting role in the movie "Collateral" but he lost to Morgan Freeman. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Rich Schmitt/AFP/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. Morgan Freeman became the oldest black actor to win an Oscar for best supporting actor. He was 67 when he won the award for his role in the 2004 film "Million Dollar Baby." âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. Juicy J, Frayser...

Juicy J, Frayser Boy, and DJ Paul, better known as 3 6 Mafia, became the first rappers to win an Academy Award. They won for their 2005 song "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp" which was used in the film "Hustle and Flow." âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. Forest Whitaker won the best actor award in 2006 for his role in "The Last King of Scotland." âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. Jennifer Hudson won best actress in a supporting role for her incredible singing and acting in the 2006 film "Dreamgirls." âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, Inc via Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.

In 2009, Mo'Nique won the best supporting actress award for her role in "Precious." âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Dan MacMedan/WireImage via Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. Roger Ross Williams won best documentary short subject for his 2009 film "Music By Prudence." âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Michael Caulfield/WireImage via Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. Geoffrey Fletcher won best writing for an adapted screenplay for the 2009 film "Precious." It was adapted from the novel "Push" by Sapphire. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic via Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.

Octavia Spencer won an Oscar in 2012 for best supporting actress for her incredibly funny and amazing performance in "The Help." âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.

Question: In 1971, Isaac Hayes became the first black man to win an Academy Award for Best Original Song with his theme from which 1971 film?
Answer: 'SHAFT'